Tension rises in India over Dr. Yunus “megaphone diplomacy”

Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister, fled the country to India in the face of a mass uprising of the student people. He has been there since he was ousted. Since then, relations between India and Bangladesh have been strained, as well as uneasy. In such a situation, a recent interview with Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus surprised and disturbed India.
Sheikh Farid analyses why the Modi government is upset about Dr. Yunus’ interview. Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president and former prime minister, is seen as pro-India because the strategic and economic ties between the two countries were strong during her 15-year rule. Even on the security front, New Delhi has benefited the most because Hasina cracked down anti-India groups and settled some outstanding border issues.
After Sheikh Hasina’s departure, there has been a complication in the deep relations between India and Bangladesh, which is evident in Dr. Yunus’ recent comments.
In an interview to PTI last week, Yunus said that if Sheikh Hasina does not return home, she must keep quiet during her stay in India. At the same time, the demand for Sheikh Hasina to be brought back to the country after the murder of the anti-discrimination student movement is also increasing.
According to Yunus, Dhaka and New Delhi should work together to maintain bilateral relations, although the relationship is at an all-time low. India’s foreign ministry has not officially reacted to his remarks but expressed disappointment. An Indian government official said India is closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh and waiting for improvement in ties.
Moreover, this comment of Dr. Yunus has been documented by New Delhi. Former Indian diplomats have described his diplomacy as “megaphone diplomacy”, with attempts by the media to discuss contentious bilateral issues. However, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry rejected Yunus’ criticism. Foreign Ministry adviser Towhid Hossain said, “Don’t Indian leaders also talk to the media? If Dr. Yunus is asked about a specific issue, he can express his opinion.